Orinilure Valley: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 17:28, 9 October 2026

Orinilure Valley
Image
Size	About 600 miles (970 km) north to south and 100 miles (160 km) east to west
Location	Between the Irere Mountains and the Orinilure Mountains
Realm	Orinilure
Borders On	Irere Mountains • Orinilure Mountains
Settlements	Hekut • Imish

Introduction

The Orinilure Valley lies between the Irere Mountains and the Orinilure Mountains in Orinilure. It is about 600 miles (970 km) long and 100 miles (160 km) wide. Most of it is dry, open country, but six rivers cross it and end in Lake Heshinum, a salt lake at its center. The Himoja farm the land along the rivers, and their grain feeds much of Orinilure. The valley separates the two Oinien states, the Erden Monopoly to the west and the Orinilure Collective to the east.

Access

The valley is the only land route between the two ranges. Roads run from the tunnel mouths of each range to the river villages and meet near the House of Iriché. The Oinien, who are nearly blind and cannot bear the sun, rarely cross it themselves and rely on the Himoja and on hired foreigners on the surface.

Historical Significance

The Himoja have lived in the valley since the Age of Ascendance. When the first human settlers entered the ranges in 150 ME, the Himoja received them peacefully and came to farm for them.

The valley's farmland was the cause of the war of 626–633 ME between the Orinilure Collective and the Erden Monopoly. The treaty that ended the war set aside a small neutral zone beside the House of Iriché, between the Shebal and Hemom rivers. The Treaty Forts stand in it and are garrisoned by both states. No village lies inside the zone.

Cultural Significance

The House of Iriché, the Ascendant Spirit of desire and greed, stands on Lake Heshinum. The names of the lake and the rivers are Himoja.

Climate

The valley is arid. Temperatures are high by day and fall sharply after sunset, as there is little cloud. Away from the rivers there are few sources of water or shelter.

Notable features

Six rivers cross the valley, three rising in each range. From north to south, the Tohol, the Petut, and the Shebal flow from the Irere Mountains, and the Nakol, the Bemum, and the Hemom flow from the Orinilure Mountains. Each is about 60 miles (100 km) long. All six end in Lake Heshinum, which has no outlet and is salt.

About 60,000 Himoja live in farming villages along the rivers. Two Himoja towns, Hekut and Imish, stand at road junctions on either side of the Treaty Forts.

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-{{Valleys in Terasil Infobox
+{{Valleys in Orinilure Infobox
-|Name=[[Minthal]] Valley
+|Name=Orinilure Valley
-|Image=[[File:Minthal Valley - General 01.jpg|center|frameless]]
+|Image=[[File:Orinilure Valley - General 01.jpg|center|frameless]]
-|Location=Eastern [[Terasil]]
+|Size=About 600 miles (970 km) north to south and 100 miles (160 km) east to west
-|Realm=Terasil
+|Location=Between the Irere Mountains and the Orinilure Mountains
+|Realm=Orinilure
+|Borders on=Irere Mountains, Orinilure Mountains
+|Settlements=Hekut, Imish
 }}
-{{Valleys in Terasil Sections
+{{Valleys in Orinilure Sections
-|Introduction=Minthal Valley is a vast, uninhabited arid expanse stretching between the [[Anvil Range]] and the [[Astralith Range]]. Once part of a continuous mountain massif, the valley was carved out over millennia by erosion, tectonic shifts, and ancient rivers that have long since dried up. Today, it stands as a desolate, wind-scoured rift, its cracked earth and jagged rock formations marking the divide between two of the most isolated mountain ranges in [[Adaris]].
+|Introduction=The '''Orinilure Valley''' lies between the [[Irere Mountains]] and the [[Orinilure Mountains]] in [[Orinilure]]. It is about 600 miles (970 km) long and 100 miles (160 km) wide. Most of it is dry, open country, but six rivers cross it and end in Lake Heshinum, a salt lake at its center. The [[Himoja]] farm the land along the rivers, and their grain feeds much of Orinilure. The valley separates the two [[Oinien]] states, the [[Erden Monopoly]] to the west and the [[Orinilure Collective]] to the east.
+|Access=The valley is the only land route between the two ranges. Roads run from the tunnel mouths of each range to the river villages and meet near the House of Iriché. The Oinien, who are nearly blind and cannot bear the sun, rarely cross it themselves and rely on the Himoja and on hired foreigners on the surface.
+|Historical Significance=The Himoja have lived in the valley since the [[Age of Ascendance]]. When the first human settlers entered the ranges in 150 ME, the Himoja received them peacefully and came to farm for them.
-Though devoid of permanent settlements, Minthal Valley serves as a natural barrier, making travel between the Anvil Range and Astralith Range treacherous. Those who dare cross it face blistering heat, unpredictable winds, and an unforgiving landscape, with few sources of water or shelter.
+The valley's farmland was the cause of the war of 626–633 ME between the Orinilure Collective and the Erden Monopoly. The treaty that ended the war set aside a small neutral zone beside the House of Iriché, between the Shebal and Hemom rivers. The Treaty Forts stand in it and are garrisoned by both states. No village lies inside the zone.
-|Access=Despite its harsh conditions, Minthal Valley remains the only land route between the Anvil and Astralith Ranges, forcing the rare traveler or merchant caravan to risk the crossing when absolutely necessary.
+|Cultural Significance=The House of [[Iriché]], the [[Ascendant Spirit]] of desire and greed, stands on Lake Heshinum. The names of the lake and the rivers are Himoja.
-|Climate=* Extreme Heat in the Day – Temperatures soar, baking the valley floor and making daytime travel dangerous.
+|Climate=The valley is arid. Temperatures are high by day and fall sharply after sunset, as there is little cloud. Away from the rivers there are few sources of water or shelter.
-* Freezing Cold at Night – With no cloud cover or insulation, temperatures plummet once the sun sets.
+|Notable features=Six rivers cross the valley, three rising in each range. From north to south, the Tohol, the Petut, and the Shebal flow from the Irere Mountains, and the Nakol, the Bemum, and the Hemom flow from the Orinilure Mountains. Each is about 60 miles (100 km) long. All six end in Lake Heshinum, which has no outlet and is salt.
-* Sudden Sandstorms & High Winds – Strong gusts race through the valley, kicking up blinding sandstorms that can strip flesh from bone.
-* Unstable Ground – Certain areas of the valley, especially near the Sunken Expanse, are prone to unexpected collapses and hidden crevices.
+About 60,000 Himoja live in farming villages along the rivers. Two Himoja towns, Hekut and Imish, stand at road junctions on either side of the Treaty Forts.
-|Notable features=* The Cracked Flats – A vast, sunbaked plain of fractured stone and hardened clay, where deep fissures split the earth into uneven, unstable terrain.
-* The Wind-Torn Spires – Jagged rock formations that rise like broken teeth from the valley floor, sculpted over centuries by relentless winds.
-* The Ghost Channels – Dry riverbeds that once carried meltwater from the Anvil Range, now reduced to dust-filled ravines and occasional flash flood paths during rare storms.
-* The Sunken Expanse – A depression in the valley floor, rumored to have once been a great underground reservoir before it collapsed, leaving behind an unstable, crumbling sinkhole.
 }}
-Suggested Width (east-west): ~60–100 miles (97–160 km)
-Suggested Length (north-south): ~300–400 miles (480–640 km)
-Depth: Not canyon-like, but low-lying and eroded—probably 1,000–2,000 feet lower than the surrounding ranges.